Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of our Licensure Exams podcast , where we explore the world of therapy and what you need to know to prepare you for your licensure exam .
We're giving a shout out to therapists getting ready to test from the home of hot dogs topped with yellow mustard , chopped onions , sweet pickle relish , a dill pickle , spear tomato slices , pickled sport peppers and a dash of celery seed on a poppy seed bun . Any guess what city I'm talking about ? Stace .
Well , being a vegetarian , linton , I prefer the city's deep dish pizza with its thick crust and generous amounts of black olives and other tasty toppings . Ah , I can taste it now .
You're not one of those people who like pineapple on a Chicago deep dish pizza , are you Stacey ?
That's right , buddy , don't knock it till you try it . And today we'll be looking at the differences between mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy .
So if you get a question that asks you for an evaluation based on a marriage and family therapy perspective rather than a mental health counseling orientation , you'll know what they're talking about , and we'll start by briefly defining the two fields of therapy . Understanding these will set a solid foundation for the rest of our discussion .
First up , mental health counseling . This is a broad field that focuses on helping individuals manage and overcome mental health issues and emotional challenges . Mental health counseling does tend to focus on the individual's internal world .
It often involves a variety of individual-focused therapeutic techniques with an emphasis on personal growth , coping skills and symptom management .
Right and depending on which theoretical approach you take , you may still consider relational and systemic factors when contextualizing the client's issues . For example , a therapist using attachment-based therapy would examine how early relationships and attachment styles impact the individual's mental health .
However , the primary focus is still on the individual's internal experiences and personal development .
Exactly the same goes for other psychodynamic theories , which involve understanding how the client's early childhood and past experiences influences their current behavior . Even though these therapies consider relational aspects , the emphasis remains on the individual's internal world .
Exactly . Marriage and family therapy , or MFT , on the other hand , is grounded in the assumption that a person's behavior is deeply interconnected with their family dynamics . An individual's problems cannot be understood in isolation from their family and relational context . Problems are seen as symptoms of dysfunction within the family system .
Okay . The marriage and family process involves identifying and altering dysfunctional relational patterns and enhancing communication among all family members . The MFT assumes that changing the family dynamics can lead to changes in individuals' behaviors .
Now let's bring these concepts to life with a case study . Imagine that you're a therapist who works with individual clients . Clinton , a 30-year-old male , presents for therapy struggling with anxiety and depression . Clinton reports feeling overwhelmed by his work , experiencing frequent panic attacks and having difficulty sleeping .
His wife , tracy , is really worried about him and suggested that he make an appointment to see you . So what might therapy look like from a mental health counseling perspective ? Linton ?
Well . Therapy would start with a comprehensive assessment to gather detailed information about Clinton's history , current symptoms and functioning . This might involve asking about his family , background , work stressors and any past mental health issues .
Okay , got it so far . So , even though you're working with Clinton individually , you're still going to ask him about his family , because family background and dynamics can play a significant role in understanding his current mental health issues . It helps to provide a comprehensive picture of the factors that are contributing to his anxiety and depression .
Exactly Understanding Clinton's family background can reveal patterns or stressors that might be influencing his mental health . Next , we would develop a treatment plan Together . Clinton and I would identify specific , realistic goals for therapy .
These goals might include reducing the frequency of panic attacks , improving sleep and developing better coping strategies for managing work stress .
Now what would the same case look like if Clinton saw you as a marriage and family therapist ? Let's say he comes in with his wife Tracy , and they wanted to participate in couples therapy .
Okay , in this scenario , the therapy process would start with a comprehensive assessment of both Clinton and Tracy . You would explore the relationship dynamics , communication patterns and how Clinton's anxiety and depressions fit into the broader context of their family system .
This assessment helps to identify any dysfunctional relational patterns and areas of conflict that need to be addressed .
So the focus is on how Clinton's symptoms are playing out within the context of his relationship with Tracy right .
That's right . From a systemic perspective , the goal is to understand how Clinton's mental health issues are affecting the couple as a unit and as we develop a treatment plan .
Our goals might include improving communication between Clinton and Tracy two , enhancing their emotional connection and addressing any relational stressors that might be contributing to Clinton's anxiety and depression .
So , from this marriage and family therapy perspective , instead of focusing solely on Clinton's individual experience , like you might as a mental health counselor , you're looking at the bigger picture of how his symptoms are part of a relational system , and what techniques might you use in this context .
You know , stacey , that depends on what theoretical model that you're going to be using , of course , as an emotionally focused therapist , for example , the techniques would be centered around understanding and transforming emotional responses within the relationship . You might reframe problems in terms of attachment needs .
This technique involves shifting the couple's perspective from blaming each other to understanding how their actions are influenced by unmet attachment needs . Or if you're using cognitive behavioral therapy , your favorite Stacey for couples , you would focus on using techniques that change maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to relationship distress .
One of the most common techniques used in CBT is what Stacey ?
Your favorite , linton cognitive restructuring .
Right when you help each partner recognize and modify distorted thinking .
Okay , thanks , linton . So there you have it , short and sweet , like pineapple on a pizza . We've explored the fundamental differences between mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy . We talked about how mental health counseling focuses on the individual's internal world , employing techniques to manage and overcome personal mental health challenges .
In contrast , marriage and family therapy views individual problems as interconnected with family dynamics , working to alter relational patterns to improve overall functioning .
And if you have any toppings that you would like us to cover besides pineapple , as you're preparing for your licensure exam , leave a note at the end of the podcast and , as we always say , remember it's in there . It's in there , Stacey pineapple , Really .
Beats what you do to salmon smothering it with curry powder and capers .
What do you mean ? Those are classical toppings used in high-end cuisine .
Sure , Linton , sure , Just like the anchovies that you pawn off as a classical pizza topping , pairing them with cheese , tomato sauce , olives , capers and garlic . You know , the only thing I can figure out , Linton , it's a Florida thing .
Yeah , what can I say ? See you next time . Stace .
Bye Linton .